Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs says there is the possibility of expanding the project to other regions
The Italian consulate in São Paulo signed an agreement this Thursday (14) with the city of São Bernardo do Campo, in the ABC region, for the teaching of the Italian language in public schools. The agreement provides for the training, paid for by the Italian government, of 30 teachers from the municipal education network, who will then teach the language to students aged 5 to 10 years old, in primary school.
Teachers will begin receiving training next week. Classes for children will begin gradually, first with an introduction to the culture and geography of Italy, culminating with grammar from August onwards. The City of São Bernardo estimates that at least two thousand students will benefit from Italian classes, which will be offered in four full-time schools under the “Educar Mais” program.
The agreement was signed at the headquarters of the consulate general in São Paulo, in the presence of ambassador Antonio Bernardini, and the vice-minister of Italian Foreign Relations, Guglielmo Picchi, who concluded an official visit to Brazil. The mayor of São Bernardo, Orlando Morando (PSDB), was represented by Celso Ricardo Silva, from the Department of Education, and by João Renato Gazinhato, from the Department of Culture.
With more than 700 thousand inhabitants, São Bernardo is the first city in the Greater São Paulo region to sign the agreement. However, the agreement is already in force in other municipalities, such as Jarinu, in the interior of São Paulo. Last year, it was signed with the City of São Paulo, under the management of Bruno Covas, and successively with Jundiaí, in January, with Mayor Luiz Fernando Machado.
Professional qualification
The Italian consul in São Paulo, Filippo La Rosa, stated that teaching the language not only restores family origins, but also serves as a professional qualification nowadays. “Since signing with the City of São Paulo, we have received cascading requests for the project.” Italy's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Guglielmo Picchi, praised the initiative and stated that there is the possibility of expanding the project to other regions.
Since 1986, São Bernardo has been a partner with the Italian city Marostica, through an agreement called Sister Cities. The brotherhood agreement represents a formal and legal basis for establishing technical cooperation agreements, exchange and economic development programs and service to the community originating in the country or region of the sister city.
Furthermore, the municipality of São Bernardo has a significant Italian colony, established in the region since the mid-19th century and which contributed to the growth and development of the city.
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